Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Theory vs. hypothesis: What’s the difference?
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
A flow chart visually outlines the steps of the scientific method, including collecting information, forming a hypothesis, designing and conducting experiments, comparing observed and expected results, drawing conclusions, refining hypotheses, and reporting findings. Arrows connect each stage, with icons such as a microscope, beaker, and computer illustrating the process.
Quick Facts
Britannica AI Icon

Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
A flow chart visually outlines the steps of the scientific method, including collecting information, forming a hypothesis, designing and conducting experiments, comparing observed and expected results, drawing conclusions, refining hypotheses, and reporting findings. Arrows connect each stage, with icons such as a microscope, beaker, and computer illustrating the process.
Flow chart of the scientific method The scientific method depicted in a flow chart showing the steps from the development of a hypothesis and experimentation to the generation of a conclusion.

Theory vs. hypothesis: What’s the difference?

Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
‱History

A scientific theory and a hypothesis differ primarily in that a theory is a well-established framework built upon extensive evidence, whereas a hypothesis is a testable prediction or explanation that is formulated as part of research or experimentation. Thus, theories and hypotheses differ in scope, purpose, and the level of empirical support they possess.

In particular, a scientific theory is a broad, systematic ideational structure that encompasses a family of empirical laws, explaining regularities in objects and events. It is a comprehensive framework that provides a scientifically rational explanation for why these laws exist. In contrast, a hypothesis is a more specific, tentative explanation for a narrow set of phenomena observed in the natural world. It is often formulated as an “If . . . then” statement, reflecting its testable and falsifiable nature.

Theories and hypotheses also differ in how they are tested and supported. A hypothesis is a starting point in the scientific method, where it is tested through observation and experimentation. It can be supported or refuted based on empirical evidence. Theories, however, are imaginative constructions that are suggested by observational information rather than directly tested. They are not accepted or rejected on the same grounds as empirical laws, since they explain a variety of laws and predict others yet to be discovered.

In scientific investigation, hypotheses serve as tools for gathering data, while theories provide broad general explanations that incorporate data from many different investigations. Hypotheses are specific and serve as the main tool for data collection, whereas theories are broad and integrate data from various scientific explorations to form a general explanation.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica